Help for my little brother

Hey guys, usually I'm around here posting up info, trying to help others on the forum, or asking questions for my own use. But today I need a little guidance on helping my brother put on some mass. He plays football and basketball, is pretty damn skinny, but also quite strong (power cleaned 250 his sophomore year of high school weighing around 180). I guarentee he can't do that now though, because he simply doesn't eat enough. And what he does eat is the typical teenager chips, poptarts, mini muffin and taco bell diet. He is heading into his senior year and keeps asking me how to get bigger without getting fat (ab obsession because he used to be pretty overweight when he was younger).

Here's the major issue: there is no way in hell I can get him to track his intake. I am looking for just a general guideline to give him that could help him bulk up.

My current plan: giving him a list of foods he should eat for breakfast with a couple different options. Something like:

Breakfastoptarts and a protein shake with milk, bowl of whatever ****ty cereal he eats and a protein shake with milk, maybe some proatmeal if I can get him to make it.

Lunch: whatever his cafateria is serving (this is really a free for all, who knows).

Directly post workout: protein shake

Dinner: two plates of whatever mom is cooking up for him. + an extra 2 servings of the meat (this will most likely be his "post workout" meal)

Now the issue is, my guess is that is nowhere near enough food for him to bulk with the amount of activity hell be doing for football training. Do any of you guys have experience that could help me out? And before you tell me too many protein shakes, I KNOW, but its the only way I can get the kid to take in even close to enough protein.

Get him to make an account and pm me about lifting for football. I do not know as much as a lot of people on this board, but I am of similar age and situation; maybe I could talk some sense into tracking calories and all the stuff

I'm learning this is why most guys will never be the big guy. They would rather just remain lean. The fear of fat takes over and the gains stop coming. You have to accept that you will gain some fat. That's ok you can easily shred that **** with various supplements and good nutrition plus training. Gaining quality mass is the hard part. I've been doing bulks/cuts only at 165 now. I'm about to cut out the bull**** and do a year long bulk...get my weight up

If only it was that easy. also, Ben thanks I'll see what I can do on getting him to make an account. I did talk him into switching his breakfast from ready oatmeal to rolled oats with 2 scoops of pb and a scoop of protein with a glass of milk. Got him some protein bars to have with his school lunch.

try adding a half gallon of milk per day to his diet...its a jug he can carry around with him, its an extra 1000 calories on top of his normal diet, rather than try to fix what he already does just add on top of it,,, thats what bulking is about anyway really

try adding a half gallon of milk per day to his diet...its a jug he can carry around with him, its an extra 1000 calories on top of his normal diet, rather than try to fix what he already does just add on top of it,,, thats what bulking is about anyway really

Good idea, now let me see if I can get him to carry around 1/2 a gallon of milk with him around high school.

try adding a half gallon of milk per day to his diet...its a jug he can carry around with him, its an extra 1000 calories on top of his normal diet, rather than try to fix what he already does just add on top of it,,, thats what bulking is about anyway really

This^^^
Research the GOMAD diet. It's simple enough that he can do this without much effort. Also throw in 2 tablespoons of EVOO in each shake for an additional 150cals each shake.

He'll have to understand the trade off between razor sharp abs and actually having muscle.

Make being a skinny ***** worse than showing a four pack as opposed to six. Help him understand that boulder shoulders, big traps and sleeve popping arms will turn more heads than a 6 pack alone all day long.

Tracking probably is a lost cause on a high school kid and is most likely unneccessary anyways. An understanding of the role of food in general and bulking/cutting concepts lets him make his own decision. I used to sneak a shaker with protein in to school for a snack before football practice. It's a shame they stick you class for 8 hours, feed you one, generically sized meal. Not a whole lot you can do other than sneak snacks.

Otherwise, the best thing you can do is direct him to will written articles by highly regarded coaches and nutritionists for some insight.

Find discussions by pro bodybuilders about bulking and it's importance to the overall physique, who can back it up with a cut and large physique later.

Knowledge is power and your brother is a kid without any. I would bet that is really all there is to it.

He'll have to understand the trade off between razor sharp abs and actually having muscle.

Make being a skinny ***** worse than showing a four pack as opposed to six. Help him understand that boulder shoulders, big traps and sleeve popping arms will turn more heads than a 6 pack alone all day long.

Tracking probably is a lost cause on a high school kid and is most likely unneccessary anyways. An understanding of the role of food in general and bulking/cutting concepts lets him make his own decision. I used to sneak a shaker with protein in to school for a snack before football practice. It's a shame they stick you class for 8 hours, feed you one, generically sized meal. Not a whole lot you can do other than sneak snacks.

Otherwise, the best thing you can do is direct him to will written articles by highly regarded coaches and nutritionists for some insight.

Find discussions by pro bodybuilders about bulking and it's importance to the overall physique, who can back it up with a cut and large physique later.

Knowledge is power and your brother is a kid without any. I would bet that is really all there is to it.

Great post. I totally agree with everything you said. Last time I went home I ordered him some protein to take a shake with him for before practice/lifting and then told him to smash moms food for dinner (post prac/lift). I got him some cheap protein bars just for the protein for 1 before lunch. I realize whole food (non shake/prot bar) is better but in the end its tough for a high school kid to eat an effective amount necessary when he is burning god knows how many calories a day @ basketball/football practice for 3 hours. I'm still waiting to get the chance to talk to him about joining AM and contacting you Ben. I will at least try and get him to look at this thread.

Just as an update guys, my goal is to get him signed up here this upcoming week and get him browsing around the nutrition/training sections. @Benmayro, I told him what you said and he seemed really interested in getting your input on lifting/eating/etc for football. I'll make sure he gets a hold of you man, I really appreciate any help you could give the kid (he's 18 in april, still my kid brother though).

hey dude your brother plays for jesuit here in tampa?! We have a few of the football players and lacrosse players that train at my gym, Elite S/C. We've put a few of them that were a little skinnier on the backloading protocol and it works pretty decently especially since younger guys love to pig out when they can, and its easier for them to get in the calories after school and workouts when its essential for growth and more convenient for them. Getting up that early for school rushing to get ready and out the door is stressful, maybe a light protein shake or even a glass of whole milk in the AM since its 80/20% casein to whey, making it digest slowly throughout the day feeding the muscles with something atleast over a period of time. Theres a lot out there you can follow to help him, the whole eat eat and eat some more protocol is a little prehistoric but calories are calories. But like What Was said before, its hard during school to get what you can in, so you have to improvise to maximize what you can do. If all else fails, pack 3 PB & Js for him to eat throughout the day with what he is already eating and at night a glass of whole milk and some protein..it is possible to add some mass on while staying a lil lean at the same time just takes some research and know how, Good luck bro, if you need any info or questions..PM me

Gearing his diet and training for football is a good route. But because all his activity is making him a hard gainer, I think part of his problem is that he might not be finished growing into his body yet. A man doesn't really stop gaining height until after high school. The problem I see isn't as much what he ISN'T as much as what he Is eating. As a hard gainer, especially on a sh***y school diet, the food that these kids get fed away from home can hinder what anabolic growth their all hormonally entitled to. I think he should hang on to those pop tarts until immediately after practice for a spike. Also he should be carrying a gallon of water with him every day and have killed it by bedtime. I had his problem in high school. I was 6'3 165 by junior year. Senior year I was 6'4 180 and throwin down. Jumped to 190 in college and haven't looked back. If i can be of help to you as well, feel free to PM me. My perspective is more centered with basketball but certainly not independent of other sports.

Just as an update guys, my goal is to get him signed up here this upcoming week and get him browsing around the nutrition/training sections. @Benmayro, I told him what you said and he seemed really interested in getting your input on lifting/eating/etc for football. I'll make sure he gets a hold of you man, I really appreciate any help you could give the kid (he's 18 in april, still my kid brother though).

I played college ball ftr. Not to belittle Ben but I'd be happy to help too.

I played college ball ftr. Not to belittle Ben but I'd be happy to help too.

I played college ball as well so I'd also be happy to help. Both of those guys know what they are talking about so you have a wealth of knowledge. Also props to you for your genuine interest in your little brother.